Verbena plant named ‘Blancena’

ABSTRACT

A new Verbena plant particularly distinguished by its very large white flower, early flowering, and a spreading habit.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE CLAIMED PLANT

Verbena×hybrida.

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Blancena’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new distinct cultivar of Verbena, botanically known as Verbena×hybrida. The new cultivar is propagated from cuttings resulting from the cross of ‘Z736’ and ‘W688’. ‘Z736’ is a white flowering Verbena having a spreading habit. ‘Z736’ is not commercially available and is not known by any synonyms. ‘W688’ is a white flowering Verbena having a spreading habit. ‘W688’ is not commercially available and is not known by any synonyms. Neither ‘Z736’ or ‘W688’ has been patented. As a result of this cross the present cultivar was created in 1997 in Enkhuizen, Netherlands and has been repeatedly asexually reproduced by cuttings in Enkhuizen, Netherlands and Sarrians, France over a three year period. It has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations, and this novelty appears to be firmly fixed.

This new Verbena plant is an annual in most climatical zones in the US, only in zones 9 and 10 it is a perennial plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new Verbena plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographic drawing which shows blooms, buds and foliage of the plant in full colour, the colour shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photgraphic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of this new Verbena. The data which defines these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 14 weeks old plants, blossomed under natural light in a greenhouse. Colour readings were taken in the greenhouse under ambient light. Colour references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London.

Differences between the variety ‘Blancena’, its parents and a similar cultivar Character ‘Blancena’ ‘Z736’ ‘W688’ ‘Temari White’ Leaf Margin Dentate Sinuate Crenulate Serrate Earliness Early Early Late Late Seedset No Little No Very much

The Plant

Parentage:

Female parent.—A seedling named ‘Z736’ is one of our seedlings from our Z-generation of plants bred in 1996.

Pollen parent.—A seedling named ‘W688’ is one of our seedlings from our W-generation of plants bred in 1992.

Growth habit: Spreading.

Plant height: 20-25 cm.

Spreading area of plant: 80-120 cm.

Growth rate: Hanging and vigorous.

Heat and cold resistance: Resistant to hot and cool weather.

Branching character: Freely branching and lateral branching at every node.

Blooming period: From April till November.

The stem

Diameter: 2-3 mm.

Shape: Tetragonal.

Anthocyan pigmentation: Absent.

Length of internode: 30-70 mm, depending on the light where the plant is propagated.

Color: Light green 138B.

Pubescence: Pubescence is present.

The Foliage

Phyllotaxis: Opposite.

Shape of blade: Broadly ovate.

Texture:

Upper side.—Glabrous.

Lower side.—Smooth.

Venation: Pinnate.

Leaf margin: Dentate.

Leaf base: Shortly attenuate.

Leaf apex: Acute.

Length: 35-50 mm.

Width: 30-40 mm.

Depth of incision: 2-3 mm.

Colour:

Upper side.—Medium green 141B.

Lower side.—Light green 139C.

Pubescence: Some pubescence is present.

Length of leaf stem: 5-10 mm.

Petiole surface structure: Slightly pubescent.

The Bud

Peduncle length: 20-45 mm, depending on season.

Size:

Diameter.—2 mm.

Length.—8-12 mm.

Shape: Elongated and ovate.

Colour: Light green 139C.

Sepals:

Colour.—Green 137D.

Form.—Upright.

Number.—5, fused.

Size.—7 mm.

Shape.—Elongated.

The Flower

Direction: Ascending.

Diameter: 19-23 mm.

Height: 18-22 mm.

Borne: In a cluster.

Form: Salverform; sessile on terminal spikes.

Cluster: Spike.

Colour: White 155C.

Eye: A very small (2 mm) green-white eye (192D, lighter) is present. Typically three out of five petals exhibit this green-white coloration.

Overlapping of petals: Separate.

No. of petals: Gamopetalous, 5 lobed.

Shape of petals: Each petal is cordate at the top and grown together at the base.

Petal margin: Entire.

Petal surface texture: Smooth.

Size of the petal:

Length.—7-10 mm.

Width.—8-9 mm.

Spike:

Length.—20-45 mm.

Diameter.—40-60 mm.

Calyx size: 10-12 mm.

Anthocyan pigmentation of calyx limb: Absent.

No. of flowers per spike: 25-40.

Fragrance: No fragrance.

Lastingness of the bloom: New florets continue to open in one spike over a period of 20 days.

Reproductive organs

One pistil and four stamens in pairs; color for both is yellowgreen 150C. The pistil size is 12-14 mm in length. Pollen is not present. The filaments and anthers are fused to the corolla. The anthers are enclosed and not a prominent feature of the flower. ‘Blancena’ does not freely set seed.

Roots

Type of roots: Fibrous. Roots start to grow on every part of the stem that contacts the soil, so not only at the nodes.

Physiological and ecological characteristics

Good tolerance to heat and cold. Strong resistance to pests and diseases, particularly powdery mildew. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Verbena plant, substantially as herein illustrated and described, characterized particularly as to novelty by larger white flowers than other Verbena plants, which appear earlier on the plant, and a growing habit that is spreading and very vigorous. 